Illuminating-tile.



PATENTED APR. 14, 1903.

J. JACOBS. ILLUMINATING TILE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1895. RENEWED FEB. 14,1903.

N0 MODEL.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JACOB JACOBS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ILLUMINA-TING-TILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 725,342, dated April 14, 1903. Application filed February 25,1895. Renewed February 14, 1903. $erial No. 143,435. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern; Be it known that I, JACOB J AOOBS, a citizen of the United States,residin g at New York city, in the county of New York, and in the. State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminating- Tiles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective View of one form of lens embodying my invention with a portion of the cement covering removed; Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof; and Figs. 3, I, and 5 are respectively side elevations of different constructions of lenses.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

The object of my invention is to improve the construction of illuminating-tiles; and to this end said invention consists in the lens for illuminating-tiles constructed substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified.

* In the carrying of my invention into practice I may employ a lens of anydesired shape; but for the purpose of illustration I show in the drawings a round one A. Circumferentially incasing said lens is a covering of cementB,of such nature as to be always yielding or plastic, and it may be composedrof coaltar and sulfur or of any other materials that will produce a permanently soft and plastic body. Said covering serves as a cushion to protect the lens from the breakage which is frequently caused by the expansion and contraction of the customary surrounding concrete filling under changes of temperature.

To insure the firm attachment of the covering B to the lens, the side of the same is formed with numerous interstices or cavities a and a, into which the cement will enter, and thus be keyed to the lens. Said cavities a and a may be given any desired shape and have any size consistent with the object sought. As shown in Fig. 1, they may be produced by a series of parallel vertical ribs or projections a, between each pair of which is a concave surface, and a number of parallel circumferential ribs or projections a intersecting the vertical ribs, the shape of cavity produced being that of a parallelogram, or'they may be given the hexagonal outline shown in Fig. '3 or the circular or round shape illustrated in Fig. 4.

In I ig. 5 is shown a lens-where a number of parallel vertical ribs only are employed,

the construction being thus substantially that shown in Fig. 1 without the horizontal ribs. Obviously, however, the construction shown in Fig. 1 will effect a more eflicient union of the cement and lens than that of Fig. 5. It will be observed that in each case the cavities are independent of or are completely separated from each other, so that the interlocking of the cement with the lens is most secure.

As the employment of cavities in the lens side results in the most secure attachment of the band or covering of plastic material to the lens, I do not have to employ a metal band or ring around said covering as a holding means, and hence as the concrete filling forming the walking surface of the tile comes directly into contact with said covering the plasticity of the latter insures a secure union with such concrete, and thus the firm setting ofthelens. F T 7 Before applying the cement to the lens to form the band'B I, paint the side surface of the lens with enamel paint to render the joint between the lens and its covering waterproof and also to produce a surface which will reflect light.

The formation of the cavities in the side of the lens, and especially when they are "given the shape shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4:, by reason of the increase in surface thus presented and the great variety of angles at which the sides of the cavities stand results in the collection and distribution of a great deal of light that would -be lost were the side of the lens smooth or substantially smooth.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is- 1. As an improvement in illuminating-tiles, the combination ofa lens having well-defined or distinct cavities -or recesses in its sides, said cavities or recesses being separated in directions'both axially and circumferentially and a band of permanently-plastic cement around the lens and entering said cavities, said band of cement serving as a cushion or yielding barrier between the lens and the concrete filling of the tile, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. As an improvementinilluminating-tiles, the combination of a lens having cavities in its sides, formed by ribs running in directions that intersect, and a band of permanentlyplastic cement around the lens and entering said cavities, said band of cement serving as a cushion or yielding barrier between the lens and the concrete filling of the tile, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. As an improvement in illuminating-tiles, the combination of a lens having cavities or recesses in its sides, and provided with alayer of material coating the latter and lining the JACOB JACOBS.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. TICE, E. J. JAooBs. 

